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Many of the children who were orphaned in the recent Chinese earthquakes sustained physical and mental disabilities, reducing their chances of placement with unrelated adoptive families, officials say.

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Proponents of a five-year program for college students with disabilities are concerned about ongoing funding for the program under a federal budget proposed Monday by President Barack Obama. The Transition and Postsecondary Programs for Students with Intellectual Disabilities, which was created in 2010 to promote and support college education for students with disabilities, did not receive specific mention in the federal budget proposal for fiscal 2013, but could be included as part of a consolidation proposal, causing some supporters to question whether its funding will be extended.

Free online programs in K-12 education are becoming increasingly popular for students who cannot or choose not to attend traditional public schools. Fifth-grade student Adam Bohanon-Mullett, who has muscular dystrophy, has attended the California Virtual Academies since kindergarten. The flexibility of the program suits the boy, his mother says, and allows him to volunteer his free time as an ambassador for the national Muscular Dystrophy Association.

Apple is exploring new ways to improve technology for individuals with disabilities, according to an application for a new patent. The company has filed a patent application for technology that would allow a host computer to customize digital content according to users needs, allowing for text to be viewed in larger font sizes or translated into Braille or audible speech. The technology could be applied to a classroom setting, where a teacher would disseminate the same information to all students but in a number of individualized formats.

Mechanical engineer Paul Schulte, 29, is not only the star of the U.S. Paralympic wheelchair basketball team, he's also designed many of his teammates' sports wheelchairs. He wheelchair knowledge enables him to quickly size up other players.

Britain needs more post-secondary options for young adults with severe learning disabilities, writes Guardian columnist Janet Murray. Fewer than 5% find paid work and vocational-training programs are often scarce, so too many young adults are stagnating at adult day-care centers, she writes.